Real Time Energy Monitoring in Labs

MIT Green Labs Educational Seminar – Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Lab Energy Assessment Center, Mechanical Engineering, MIT

Daniel J. Preston, Director Alice Ursella, Assistant Director

Ariel S. Anders, Lead Technology Developer Georgia Phillips, UROP

Max Drake, UROP Dheekshita Kumar, UROP

1

Delaying the Energy Crisis

Coal,

900 TW-y

Uranium,

90-300 TW-y

Oil,

240 TW-y

Natural Gas,

215 TW-y

Global Consumption,16 TW

Energy Efficiency, 5 TW

Wave and Tidal, 0.5 TW

Geothermal, 2 TW

Hydro, 4 TW

Biomass, 6 TW

Wind, ~50 TW

Solar,

23,000 TW

Nonrenewable Total Reserves:Renewable Yearly Production:

Hubbert’s peak analysis for oil reserves in the continental US – global analysis predicts

peak will occur this decade

Earth’s finite and renewable energy reserves (TW = 1012 watts) – energy efficiency is comparable to some renewable sources

• Renewable energy sources currently not advanced enough to replace nonrenewables

• Full implementation of energy-saving measures could delay the impending nonrenewable crisis to 50% later than its current expected arrival

2

Targeting MIT Labs

• Buildings with labs consume 300%

more energy

• Within lab, equipment and small

power is over 1/3 of energy use

• An additional 12% of energy is

consumed by lighting, and

ventilation for fume hoods also

contributes

--courtesy of Mark Mullins

The LEAC targets labs to reduce energy consumption and save resources

--MIT Office of Sustainability

3

Similar Programs

• Industrial Assessment Centers

• Trips to local factories/plants

• Record energy consumption

• Deliver report suggesting

ways to save resources

• Located nearby at UMass

• Harvard

• Suggest sustainable practices

• Host competitions

• BU

• Classroom certificates based

on surveys

4

Lab Energy Assessment

Monitoring system set-up (Wemos and cameras)

Collect data

Process and analyze data

Present recommendations based on results

Follow up to check progress

5

Lab Energy Assessment

Monitoring system set-up (Wemos and cameras)

Collect data

Process and analyze data

Present recommendations based on results

Follow up to check progress

6

How We Collect Data

7

Data Logger Installation

8

Data Logging

9

Data Collection for Lights and Hoods

• Hood data available from BMS but difficult to interpret

• Data not available for overhead lighting

• Alternative solution – video processing:

Switch ON

Switch OFF

Live feed Processed Feed

10

Video Processing for Fume Hoods

AR tags

AR tags mounted on sash

• AR (augmented reality) tags are recognizable by video

processing software • Distance

• Location

• Determine whether hood sash is open, calculate energy

11

Other Data Collection

• Discussion with lab point-of-contact or representative

• Photos of equipment, including nameplates

• Recording equipment not monitored by data loggers

12

Lab Energy Assessment

Monitoring system set-up (Wemos and cameras)

Collect data

Process and analyze data

Present recommendations based on results

Follow up to check progress

13

Example of Data Collection

• Samples prepared by plasma cleaning, then periodically imaging

(with experiment lighting) with and without heat applied

14

Benchmarking Common Equipment

Lab equipment Power (W) LED Lighted Power Strip 0.2 Wemo Power Monitor 1.3 Desktop Computer Tower 104.8 Desktop Montor 13.2 Laptop Computer 12.6 Lab Task Light: Low 26.6 Lab Task Light: Medium 34.6 Lab Task Light: High 39.7 Optical Microscope Light 59.9 Heat Gun: Low 575.0 Heat Gun: High 1152.4 Vacuum Pump: Startup 506.1 Vacuum Pump: Steady State 402.7 Hot Plate: Startup 1021.2 Hot Plate: Steady 150C 202.7 Hot Plate: Steady 300C 317.1 Ultrasonicator 25.6 Plasma Cleaner: Standby 3.2 Plasma Cleaner: Operation 365.9

15

Lab Energy Assessment

Monitoring system set-up (Wemos and cameras)

Collect data

Process and analyze data

Present recommendations based on results

Follow up to check progress

16

Example of Recommendation

Replace old incubator with new model

0 0.5 1 Time (min)

Ene

rgy

Co

nsu

mp

tio

n (

J)

New (proposed) Incubator Old Incubator

17

Lab Energy Assessment

Monitoring system set-up (Wemos and cameras)

Collect data

Process and analyze data

Present recommendations based on results

Follow up to check progress

Typically occurs within 1-2 months of report delivery, scheduling is flexible

18

Summary

• Perform lab assessments

• Overall lab energy consumption footprint

• Recommendations for energy-saving measures

• Excellent learning experience for undergraduates

19

Thank You

Acknowledgements: -MIT Green Labs -Prof. Evelyn N. Wang

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